Can PFAS from nonstick pans and food wrappers affect your baby's vaccine response?

What's actually in it

Babies absorb PFAS from breast milk, formula prepared with contaminated water, and food. These "forever chemicals" accumulate in the body and affect the immune system. When babies get vaccines, their immune systems need to build strong antibodies. PFAS can weaken this process.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environ Toxicol Pharmacol measured PFAS levels in infants in Burkina Faso and tested their antibody concentrations before and after measles vaccination. The researchers found that babies with higher PFAS exposure had lower measles antibody levels after vaccination.

Lower antibody levels mean the vaccine may not protect the child as well. A weaker immune response to one vaccine could signal broader immune suppression that affects the child's ability to fight other infections too.

To protect your baby's immune system, reduce PFAS exposure by filtering drinking water, avoiding nonstick cookware, and choosing PFAS-free food packaging. Breastfeeding is still recommended despite PFAS contamination, as the immune benefits outweigh the risks.